Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. boosted its holdings in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS – Free Report) by 24.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 23,284 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,503 shares during the quarter. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc.’s holdings in Morgan Stanley were worth $4,379,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MS. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 10.3% in the third quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 13,279 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,497,000 after acquiring an additional 1,243 shares during the last quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. grew its holdings in Morgan Stanley by 0.4% in the third quarter. Deroy & Devereaux Private Investment Counsel Inc. now owns 224,355 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $42,197,000 after purchasing an additional 806 shares during the period. E6 Portfolios LLC purchased a new stake in Morgan Stanley in the third quarter valued at approximately $267,000. Leo Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Morgan Stanley in the third quarter valued at approximately $492,000. Finally, Apollon Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Morgan Stanley by 4.6% during the third quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 124,712 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $23,456,000 after purchasing an additional 5,538 shares during the last quarter. 84.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Key Stories Impacting Morgan Stanley
Here are the key news stories impacting Morgan Stanley this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Anthropic IPO role adds fee and prestige potential: Morgan Stanley was named a lead underwriter for Anthropic’s upcoming initial public offering, alongside Goldman Sachs. The mandate could generate substantial underwriting fees and strengthen Morgan Stanley’s position in high-profile technology and AI capital-markets transactions. In Anthropic IPO, Goldman and Morgan Stanley Slug It Out for Top Bank
- Positive Sentiment: AI financing opportunity expands: Morgan Stanley is among the banks committed to a reported $63 billion financing arrangement supporting Broadcom’s AI infrastructure deployments for Anthropic. The deal could provide financing revenue and deepen the firm’s relationships across the fast-growing AI ecosystem. Broadcom Anthropic $63 Billion Financing Banks
- Positive Sentiment: Wealth Management growth is supported by AI: Morgan Stanley is using AI to improve advisor productivity, increase asset-gathering capacity and reduce operating friction. Record Wealth Management revenue in the third quarter provides a favorable base for recurring fee growth if these productivity gains continue. Can AI Adoption Sustain Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management Growth?
- Neutral Sentiment: Investment-banking franchise remains active: Morgan Stanley advised on approximately $235.2 billion of European mergers and acquisitions during the first three quarters of 2026, underscoring its strong market position. However, the immediate earnings impact will depend on transaction timing and fee realization. Morgan Stanley, Rothschild Lead Europe M&A Financial Advisers Rankings
- Negative Sentiment: Macro risks could pressure valuations and trading sentiment: Morgan Stanley economist Michael Gapen said investors should not assume the Federal Reserve is finished raising rates, while the firm’s strategists warned that support for semiconductor stocks could be materially lower. Higher-for-longer rates and weaker risk appetite could weigh on asset-management flows, deal activity and market-sensitive businesses. Morgan Stanley Economist Discusses Future Fed Hikes
Morgan Stanley Stock Performance
MS opened at $187.11 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $199.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $194.25. The company has a market cap of $295.13 billion, a PE ratio of 14.85 and a beta of 1.22. Morgan Stanley has a 1 year low of $152.80 and a 1 year high of $232.25.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 14th. The financial services provider reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.93 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $20.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.93 billion. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.80 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Morgan Stanley will post 12.83 earnings per share for the current year.
Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 30th will be paid a $1.15 dividend. This represents a $4.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, October 30th. Morgan Stanley’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 36.51%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
MS has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Morgan Stanley from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 30th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Morgan Stanley from $243.00 to $195.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Morgan Stanley from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 5th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated an “outperform” rating and set a $230.00 price objective (down from $250.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Finally, Evercore restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Monday, July 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $214.62.
Read Our Latest Report on Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley Company Profile
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a global financial services company that provides investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services to corporations, institutions, governments and individual investors. Founded in 1935, the company is headquartered in New York City and serves clients through operations across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and other international markets.
Through its Institutional Securities segment, Morgan Stanley offers investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading, research, lending and related capital-markets services.
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